February 8 2018: James Caldwell and Matt Boeding discuss MLB free agency, Superbowl rewind and Josh McDaniels Situation
Author: italksportsandthatsit
Eagles: The New Dynasty?
The 2017 NFL season has come to an end with a surprising result. The Philadelphia Eagles took down the perennial powerhouse New England Patriots 41-33 in the most offensive football game in NFL history.
The media circus around the New England Patriots focused on the potential inner turmoil created in the New England locker room. While the Patriots are still the best franchise in over the last 15 years, they are beginning to show chinks in the armor. The uncertainty of the future for Rob Gronkowski, Tom Brady and even Bill Belichick has left the world looking for the new dynasty and they can look no further than the new world champions they Philadelphia Eagles.
Ironically the Eagles story of victory is as compelling as a young Patriots team in 2001 that made a change at Quarterback and overcame a powerhouse team. Nick Foles was able to lead a stacked roster of talent to victory along with great coaching. Foles most likely earned himself a chance to be a starter somewhere in the NFL to start the 2018 season. Best bet would say that he is moved to the Arizona Cardinals for a mid-level pick. The injury to Wentz allowed the Eagles to also get a look at Quarterback Nate Sudfield. His 83% completion percentage set a new NFL record for completion percentage for a quarterback making his NFL debut (minimum 20 attempts). The record was previously held by Sam Wyche, who completed 80 percent of his passes for the Cincinnati Bengals against the Houston Oilers in 1968.
The potential loss of Nick Foles and the likely longtime multi- use runningback Darren Sproles. The Eagles should return multiple effective assets. The Eagles will also get a full season with dynamic runningback Jay Ajayi alongside bruiser Legarrette Blount and their new version of Sproles, 3rd down back Cory Clement the Eagles will feature a trio of backs that second to very few in the NFL. The Eagles made a great move in the offseason bringing in a real number one receiver in Alshon Jeffery which allowed Nelson Agholor to move to the slot where his skill set makes him the most effective. The Eagles should look to add depth to in the secondary which gave up way to many big plays throughout the season.
Carson Wentz will return in 2018 and will have be a part of a championship team that will come out as the favorites in the NFC barring in crazy moves. For the Eagles to make themselves the next great dynasty they will have to do what their Superbowl counterparts have been doing for the last decade, they have to win when its expected. Their will be no sneaking up on teams in the 2018 season, each night they will get every teams best effort. They are set with the best offensive line in the league and some of the most dynamic playmakers on both sides of the ball. They have the potential to dominate the NFC for the next ten years, should be fun to watch.
Feb.1 Podcast: Get to know a Cubs fan.
February 1 2018: James Caldwell gives his top five NCAA Basketball teams right now, Special segment called: Get to know a Cubs fan, also the LOSER of the week: Doc Rivers
Stipe vs. DC: What else is there?
UFC 226 will be headlined by a superfight of dominate champions. Heavyweight Champion Stipe Moicic(18-2 MMA, 12-2 UFC) will take on Light Heavyweight Champion and former Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Champion Daniel Cormier(20-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC).
Some superfights take place after years of build and fan interest. This one seemed to be birthed and pushed over a matter of days. The two men have no connection and thus this matchup feels a bit forced and desperate.While this fight will create great headlines, it really is the only option for these two champions. The UFC have found themselves in an unfamiliar situation, they have no other options.
After dispatching of Francis Ngannou, Moicic has put togther the most dominate heavyweight championship run in UFC history. Moicic has defeated every fighter that has any claim to the championship that still remains in the UFC. Stipe sits in a tough position as he really doesn’t have as much to gain in this situation. He will be a huge favorite against a much smaller Cormier that hasn’t fought at heavyweight since 2014. If he loses it will not only hurt his legacy but it will portray negatively in an already thin heavyweight division.
Daniel Cormier enters UFC 226 with a chance to cement himself as only the second fighter ever to hold the title in two divisions at once. Cormier sits in a similar situation as Miocic, he currently sits at the top of a division that has no clear contender that he has not already dispatched. Dana White placing Cormier in this fight allows him to hope that a true light heavyweight contender will emerge. For Cormier this is a win-win situation, no one expects him to win this fight, if he does he will have to be considered the best light heavyweight in UFC history(Not named Jon Jones).
Cormier has notable wins at heavyweight, (Frank Mir , Antonio Silva, Roy Nelson and Josh Barnett), but those were a younger version of Cormier. Cormier will enter the octagon with the legitimate best heavyweight in the world. The UFC has seen a drop in pay-per view ratings as well as a loss of notable marketable names. Conor McGregor is more focused on his personal brand than defending his title, Rhonda Rousey is now a professional wrestler, Anderson Silva has gotten old, Jon Jones can’t stay clean. The UFC was forced into this fight due to lack of star power to sell. As intriguing as a superfight can be, they can also leave a division in shambles. The fighter moving up is less likely to return to their division. In this case, it seems fairly certain Cormier would be done at 205. I mentioned the positive possibilities for the light heavyweight division without Cormier, but there are a few bad scenarios.
This fight will be huge for the UFC as they continue to lose the momentum they had in the early 2000’s. But even if this is a success for the UFC and they get millions of pay-per view buys, what is next for MMA’s elite organization? Where do they go from here?
Out with the old in with the new:Get to know Dejounte Murray
Great franchises stay great by making decisions for the team. On January 23rd the Spurs announced that Dejounte Murray would replace 17-year NBA veteran Tony Parker in the starting lineup. The Spurs have responded to the change, winning 3 of 4. Murray has put up decent numbers since the lineup change. In 29 minutes per game, he has averaged 12 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 2.8 steals and 2.8 turnovers on a 50.6 true shooting percentage.
The 2nd year guard out of Washington is not a finished product, a clear lack of any long range shooting will hinder his progression into stardom. Murray though brings a swiss army knife of other attributes, rebounding, play making, court vision and length. Defensively, San Antonio has an absolute stalwart in its 6-5 bundle of energy. Murray is all limbs with great lateral quickness and plenty of hops. He’s starting to realize the advantages those physical attributes give him. The physical attributes of Murray are a welcomed addition to a starting lineup that is currently missing arguably the best two way player in the game Kawhi Leonard. Leonard’s intangibles covered up the defensive struggles of Tony Parker and Patty Mills, both of which are offensive oriented point guards.
Murray has shown that despite his shooting issues he can be an effective force on the offensive end as well. Murray is becoming adept at making the right pass in pick-and-roll situations, whether that’s a pocket dish to a big or a kickout to a spot-up shooter. He collapses the defense pretty well, even though he often can’t take advantage of it. Murray also has the ability to work in transition, never afraid of turning on the afterburners after grabbing a defensive rebound, which he grabs a lot of.
The Spurs go about their business so quietly that most of the league has failed to notice that they have successfully drafted and developed some very promising prospects. Kyle Anderson, Davis Bertans, Bryn Forbes and Murray have filled in roles while better known players like Manu Ginobli, Rudy Gay and Tony Parker have spent time on the injured list or have been ineffective.
At 21 years old, Murray’s offensive game needs a bunch of work, but as he continues to stuff the stat sheets Murray will establish himself as the next great Spur. Great franchises know how to stay relevant at the game evolves. The San Antonio Spurs and Gregg Popovich have transitioned from the Tim Duncan era and begin to march forward with young talent.
Weekend Picks: Jan. 27 2018: Big Matchup and Big12/SEC Challenge
Football betting season will take a break this week as the masses will turn their attention to college basketball. This weekend is full of great matchups highlighted by the Big12/Sec Challenge and a showdown of top 4 ACC teams. We have picked out a few games that should be special this weekend. Enjoy!
Fighting Trae Young’s @ Alabama
In a battle of freshman studs. Trae Young will lead the 12th ranked Sooners into Tuscaloosa on Saturday for a matchup with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Oklahoma’s super rookie is averaging mind-numbing figures of 30.5 points and 9.7 assists per game –both best in the nation. After showing signs of mortality, Young had an lead and efficient offensive effort Tuesday against the Kansas Jayhawks scoring 26point on 7/9 shooting. That said, the Sooners can’t just ride too hard on the shoulders of Young, who needs the likes of Christian James (11.9 points) and Brady Manek (11.1 points) to play a bigger role.
The Sooners are not up against Alabama football team’s stop unit, but the Crimson Tide basketball team’s defense is not something Trae Young and company should underestimate. Alabama has the length and athleticisim to disrupt Young and force him to be perimeter oriented. The Crimson Tide are protected by a fantastic interior defense, as evidenced by their 6.3 blocks per game — good for fifth nationally. Like most SEC teams the Crimson Tide have been hard to figure out gaining wins over Texas A&M, Auburn and South Carolina but losing to bottom dwelling Ole Miss by double digits.
While the teams are both intriguing the best reason to watch will be the matchup of potential lottery picks Trae Young and Colin Sexton. Sexton quietly has been making his own mark on the college basketball scene.
I think Alabama come shuts down Young and pulls off the upset victory. But I have been wrong about Oklahoma before.
James Caldwell: Alabama Matt Boeding: Oklahoma
Kentucky at West Virginia
The battle of the struggling hall of fame coaches takes place Saturday when John Calipari’s Kentucky Wildcats travel to Morgantown to face off with Bob Huggins #7West Virginia Moutaineers .Unless you have been under a rock you may have heard that the Kentucky Wildcats have fallen out of the top 25 rankings for the first time since 2014. What has flown under the radar is that West Virginia has now lost 3 of 4 in the ultra competitive Big12, showing little to no effort Tuesday night against TCU.
Kentucky ranks 55th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency and 27th in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.com. They’re a team that is no longer considered part of the national title conversation, which is troubling (and an outlier) when it comes to UK basketball. Calipari put together a team of positionless players that are having trouble figuring out their roles. They will have to figure out who they are in a game that can factor into positioning in March. Kentucky will have to find a toughness physically and mentally to pull off this upset. Kentucky has more talent, West Virgnia has more experience.
James Caldwell: Kentucky Matt Boeding: West Virginia
Virginia vs Duke
The matchup of the weekend takes place at Cameron Indoor on Saturday when the #2 Virginia Cavaliers meet #4 Duke Blue Devils. Two top ranked teams battle for ACC supremecy, the immovable object meets the unstoppable force.
The Cavaliers have the best defense in the nation with opposing teams bleeding for just 52.4 points per game. Teams seem to shoot at a moving basket when they are up against Virginia, which limits opponents to only 36.6 field goal shooting percentage. Duke is going to be a tough assignment for the Cavs, but its not like Virginia has not dealt with a top-tier offensive team and came out successful. Virginia has already taken down North Carolina and NC State, both rank in the top four in ACC offensively.
As much we like to talk about how scary good the Cavaliers’ defense is, the truth is, it has not prevented Duke from beating the Cavaliers over the past few seasons. In fact, Duke has won eight of its last 10 dates with Virginia and it’s vaunted pack line defense, though they covered the spread in only three of those meetings. Duke Blue Devils come in riding a three game win streak in which they have woken up for long range. Gary Trent Jr, Grayson Allen and Trevon Duval have seemed to find their stroke from deep, Trent most notably hitting an astounding 19 threes over the last four games. Virginia is going to be forced to deal with the NBA froncourt of Marvin Bagley and Wendell Carter. If Virginia can limit the offensive rebounding of the Blue Devils they can effectively control the tempo.
Duke’s home court advantage will play a role in this one as the young Devils seemed to feed off the energy. It would take a gargantuan effort for Virginia to limit Bagley, let alone Grayson Allen and the other Blue Devils’ gifted scorers.
James Caldwell: Duke Matt Boeding: Duke
This is the Cavs
The Cleveland Cavaliers took a loss to the shorthanded San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night dropping their 6th game of the last 7. Cavaliers Coach Tyronn Lue announced after the game that there will be lineup changes coming for the Cavaliers. While Lue can change the lineup he cannot change the culture that’s been created.
Miami Heat Lebron James was hungry for a title, he was able to take his team to the level they needed to be on a nightly basis. James was able to bring veterans like Shane Battier and Mike Miller, guys that shared his hunger to win while keeping their mouth shut. They were “team” guys, accepting their minutes and playing their hardest when they got their chance. The Cavaliers have brought in big personalities that can’t look past their personal goals. Jeff Green, Derrick Rose and Isaiah Thomas are dynamic talents that will never work with Lebron James. They are not the guys that can accept the reserve role, they are ball oriented players that care more about stat lines then team accomplishments.
The Cavaliers compounded their problems by not moving roles players like Tristan Thompson and to a degree Dwayne Wade back into the starting lineup. These are players that thrive off of the little things. Hustle plays like setting screens, making the extra pass and taking charges is what can make a difference for a team loaded with talent. Right now the Cavaliers spend more time pointing fingers then playing defense, they talk more about former teams then current.
The Cavaliers players are showing the same panic as management. There is a desperation in every game, they know that Lebron can take his talents where he chooses at the end of the season. The pressure to win now is so prevalent that anything less is unacceptable. The Cavaliers will get by because they have the best player in the world on their roster, but when playoff time hits they have to figure out some type of chemistry. For now though they are a dysfunctional family, everyone thinks its someone else’s fault. This is the Cavs in 2018.
First Podcast of 2018!
January 22, 2018: NFC/AFC Championship breakdown, State of the NCAA Basketball and my thoughts on the Cardinals trade of Randall Grichuck, and why John Calipari is a huge LOSER
San Francisco (Giant)s Mistakes?
The San Francisco Giants decided to lit a flame to reignite the major league baseball hot stove by acquiring former National League MVP Andrew McCutchen. McCutchen joins Evan Longoria in a new look middle of the Giants lineup. The Giants have thrown down the gauntlet in potentially the most stacked division the Major League Baseball’s senior circuit. While the moves are attention grabbing, does it really put the giants in a place to contend?
McCutchen joins a lineup that has found it a struggle to find offense in the outfield. With the addition of the 5 time all-star the Giants will be able to move injury machine Hunter Pence into left field solving a problem that has plagued the team for years. The new problem moves to center field as normal Denard Span was part of the Longoria deal. Early projections show Gorkys Hernandez as the potential starting center fielder, the Giants could shock us all by potentially moving defensive gem Brandon Belt to the outfield and play Buster Posey over at first. Posey’s move to first is inevitable due to his growing concussions issues as well as the overall wear and tear of playing the position. A move of Belt to the outfield would shift the aging McCutchen to one of the biggest and funkiest center fields in Major League Baseball.
While the outfield has questions the Giants infield has could rival any team defensively. The acquisition of Even Longoria made a strength even stronger, the 2017 Gold Glover joins fellow 2017 Gold Glover Brandon Crawford and defensive standout Joe Panik. While the move for Longoria shocked most in the baseball world, it was justified when the Giants made the second move to pick up McCutchen. The Giants are telling their fanbase that they are all in for the 2018 season…at least they have forced themselves all in.
The Giants traded away their most promising prospect Christian Arroyo in order to pick up Longoria. While Longoria is still a viable player moving your top infield prospect to get him was questions by many baseball writers. Giants general manager Bobby Evans and executive vice president of baseball operations Brian Sabean have addressed this, but to summarize, the Giants wanted to improve upon the production they received from third base last season. San Francisco’s third basemen finished last in the Majors in batting average (.216), OPS (.568), home runs (nine) and RBIs (51) in 2017. Despite Longoria’s dip in production in ’17, Giants management believes he has enough left to provide respectable offense for at least a couple of years. A couple of years may be all the Giants have left as their current farm system ranks in the bottom five and their is no one on the way. A team that has a lot of older players seems to not have a plan if those players breakdown.
The Giants are going to go into the 2018 season with a lot to be excited about. Their pitching staff will have a full year of Madison Bumgarner back , assuming he stays off the dirt bike. They have Johnny Cueto, Jeff Samardjia, Mark Melancon, Sam Dyson, so many established major league players. The Giants just seemed to have forgotten that the Dodgers, D-Backs and Rockies are younger and better. The Giants won’t lose 98 games in 2018 but this team has not improved themselves enough to beat the teams in their own division. The will battle for a wild card spot but most likely be looking to unload some vets at the trade deadline. They showed the fanbase they are trying, but I think a rebuild would have made more sense.
But it is an even year.
Key to success: Gary Trent Jr.
The Duke Blue Devils pulled off a miraculous comeback Monday night against the Miami Hurricanes. While multiple factors lead to the Miami meltdown, it was freshman Shooting Guard Gary Trent Jr. that provided the consistency and leadership normally seen by upperclassman.
The Apple Valley, Minnesota native carried the Blue Devils scoring 30 points while shooting 6 of 9 from three point range. Trent Jr.’s sharpshooting was the lone highlight offensively for the first 30 minutes of the Monday’s ACC showdown. While fellow freshman phenom’s like Marvin Bagley and Wendall Carter tend to steal the headlines it has been Trent Jr.’s consistent play that has been the backbone of the Duke frontline. Grayson Allen and Trevon Duvall continue to be inconsistent on both ends of the court, while Trent Jr. continues to be the most reliable guard option for Coach K. Trent Jr. brings the skill and poise of a veteran, with 1:23 left in the game Miami down 73-70 Trent Jr. was the one that stepped into a top of the key three and sealed the deal for the Blue Devils. His ability to sink a shot of that magnitude without a second thought was a defining moment in the still young season. It is time for Duke to utilize their dynamic shooting guard in new roles.
As ACC play continues to intensify Duke will have to have better guard play, with Grayson Allen’s jumper a complete mess and Trevon Duvall’s poor decision making, Trent Jr. will have to be the player Duke relies on in clutch situations. When Duvall gets in his own head Coach K has to move Trent Jr. to the point if he wants this young team to make a real impact in March. While Trent Jr. may be more effective play the contrary role in the offense, his level headed decision making can be an asset when things begin to unravel. The movement to the point can allow fellow shooters freshman Alex O’Connell and Grayson Allen play their more familiar roles.
Gary Trent Jr. won’t be the highest draft pick on this Duke team, he may not have the best career, but he brings so much intelligence to the game of basketball. In today’s basketball sharpshooters with length have become the new blue print of success, he may not stay at Duke for as long as he should but if he does give the fans a chance to watch him develop we could see a guy that becomes one of the best Duke players of all time.
I Talk Sports and That's It 